A novel highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N6) virus affecting wild birds and commercial poultry was detected in the Netherlands in December 2017. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the virus is a reassortant of H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 viruses and not related to the Asian H5N6 viruses that caused human infections.
Keywords: H5N6; HPAI; clinical signs; ducks; genome sequence; highly pathogenic avian influenza; influenza; reassortant; respiratory infections; the Netherlands; viruses; wild birds.